Pillar I: Excellent Science

This pillar focuses on support of cutting-edge research, as well as on the development of researchers’ careers and mobility. This pillar also includes the development of research infrastructures of global importance, including e-infrastructures.

The Excellent Science pillar is divided into the following parts:

1. European Research Council (ERC)
2. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
3. Research Infrastructures

1. ERC, European Research Council

   ERC supports and further develops research that is defined by the scientist herself/himself (or a group of scientists for Synergy grants) and is at the cutting-edge of current knowledge.
   
   This concerns the following types of grants:

   • ERC Starting Grants
     ERC Starting Grants support outstanding early career researchers, who have demonstrated potential to become leaders in research. They are designed to help early career researchers develop their independent career at the stage at which they are starting to form their own research teams. Applicants may be researchers of any age and nationality who had earned their doctorate 2–7 years before the call for proposals was published. The maximum amount of the grant is EUR 1.5 million for a period of 5 years.

   • ERC Consolidator Grants
     ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to enhance the career growth of outstanding early career researchers at the stage of creating or strengthening their existing research teams. Researchers of any age and nationality who had earned their PhD 7–12 years before the call for proposal was published, and who have also already achieved excellent research results, can apply for the grant. Under this scheme, researchers can receive a grant of up to EUR 2 million for a period of 5 years.

   • ERC Advanced Grants
     These grants focus on support for research activities of internationally recognised experts who have already established themselves in their field and have made a significant impact there. In terms of originality, applicants must be excellent leaders in their field with demonstrable ground-breaking results in the last 10 years before the call for proposals was published. These outstanding researchers may receive a maximum of EUR 2.5 million for 5 years.

   • ERC Synergy Grants
     A group of two to four excellent researchers can apply for a grant for a joint project. This type of grant assumes achievement of breakthroughs and discoveries that would not have been achieved if each researcher worked independently. Individual researchers may work in different scientific disciplines, but interdisciplinarity is not a condition for obtaining the grant. Synergy grants amount a maximum of EUR 10 million for a project period of up to 6 years.

   • Proof-of-Concept
     This is an additional support of a maximum of EUR 150,000 aimed at the commercialisation of research outputs for those applicants who have already received an ERC grant in the past. The grant is open to researchers who are still working on their ERC project or who completed their project less than 12 months before 1 January of the year, in which they intend to submit their proposal. Financial support is provided for a period of one year (or a maximum of 18 months).

2. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
   

   Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions support human resources through international and cross-sectoral mobility, scientific career development and professional growth, both in Europe and beyond. The grants are intended for Ph.D. candidates as well as experienced postdoctoral researchers. They not only include stays at foreign institutions, but also networking across countries (including third countries) and sectors (public and private sector).
   
   MSCA are divided into the following types of grants:

   • Doctoral Networks
     Doctoral networks are aimed at strengthening the capacities of the staff at universities, research organisations and companies. They support the training and education of Ph.D. candidates, helping them to become part of international teams and develop their own research careers. Another objective is to support joint doctorates or the so-called industrial doctorates that provide an opportunity for Ph.D. candidates to gain professional experience outside of the academia.

   • Postdoctoral Fellowships
     These individual research stays focus on further education and professional growth of postdoctoral researchers. They enable research stays at renowned institutions in EU countries and in the so-called third countries, as well as the return of researchers from third countries to Europe.

   • Staff Exchanges
     Staff Exchanges are short-term exchanges during which a research or innovation project is conducted. The aim is to support professional growth, sharing of knowledge and international and cross-sectoral cooperation. The focus is on exchange of staff between the academia and industry. The secondment is open not only to researchers, but also to managers and technical and administrative staff.

   • Co-financing of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND)
     This type of grant combines funding from the European Commission with funding from other regional, national or international programmes to support mobility. Grants help to enhance the quality of education and professional training of researchers, as well as the international and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers (both Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers) at different stages of their careers.

   • MSCA and Citizens
     These types of grants also involve the so-called European Researchers’ Night. The aim of this and similar events for the public is to raise awareness about the work of researchers and to stimulate interest in research careers, especially among young people. Horizon Europe, in comparison with Horizon 2020, intends to increase the number of scientific festivals with European added value.

3. European Research Infrastructures

   The aim is to support the construction, maintenance and operation of research facilities, resources and services of global importance that can be used by the scientific community as well as the industry. An integral part is also the support of access to digital resources (primarily research results), through the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). The research infrastructures are primarily used to address major global challenges and help further develop innovations and knowledge in Europe.